Isaac B. Potter NY > MI

Isaac B. Potter NY > MI

I am trying to nail down the parentage and wife's last name for an Isaac B. Potter (3-g-grandfather), b. 1803-1810 (census records vary) in New York. He married a Mary Ann ____ and by the 1850 census had migrated to Caneadea, Allegany Co., NY, where he was a carpenter/joiner.

The 1850 census notes:Isaac Potter 40* 1809 New York Male Caneadea, Allegany, New York Mary Ann 37 1812 New York Female Caneadea, Allegany, New York Harry** B 18 1831 New York Male Caneadea, Allegany, New York Isaac B 16 1833 New York Male Caneadea, Allegany, New York Mary A 13 1836 New York Female Caneadea, Allegany, New York Adaline 6 1843 New York Female Caneadea, Allegany, New York Millard*** 5 1844 New York Male Caneadea, Allegany, New York Wallace 2 1847 New York Male Caneadea, Allegany, New York

My notes:* The 1870 census shows Isaac B. (the Elder) was b. in 1803.** Harry is actually Harvy or Harvey.*** Millard is often mistranscribed as Willard. It is Millard.

By 1861-'62, the family had migrated to Grand Rapids, Michigan --- all except my ancestor, son Isaac B., who wound up in Venango Co., PA, and then Erie Co., PA, specifically Corry. There had had children Eugene, Morris, Homer, and Cosey. Eugene and Morris died young; Cosey is my g-grandmother.

The mid-19th-century Michigan contingent of Potters, sons of Isaac B. (the elder) signed on with Michigan cavalry troops during the Civil War. Here are some of their military records:

Wallace PotterResidence was not listed; 18 years old.Enlisted on 8/6/1864 at Grand Rapids, MI as a Private.On 8/6/1864 he mustered into "E" Co. MI 3rd Cavalry He was Mustered Out on 2/12/1866 at San Antonio, TX (Sub for Justin M. Stanley.)He was listed as:* Joined Regiment 10/2/1865 Brownsville, AR

Millard F. PotterResidence was not listed; 19 years old.Enlisted on 3/11/1862 at Allegan as a Private.On 3/11/1862 he mustered into "E" Co. MI 3rd Cavalry He was Mustered Out on 3/13/1865 at Brownsville, AROn 1/31/1864 he Attached into IL 9th Cavalry He was Returned on 5/30/1864Widow's pension on file, Millard F. Potter, Co. E, 3rd Mich Cav, widow Ella M. Potter, filed in OH.

There are two records of an aging Isaac B. Potter in the area in the 1880s. The 1880 census of Grand Rapids has an Isaac B. Potter, 77, b. NY, boarding with a music teacher from England, Mary A. Smith, and his census notes "wound broke." Hard to believe he'd be boarding when he had grown kids in the state, but who knows?

Then there's a death record of an 81-year-old Isaac Potter who died 1884 in Greenwood, Oceana Co., MI, where two of my Isaac B. Potter's children were living. Only thing is, it notes his birth state as VT!

There is an LDS file of an Isaac B. Potter, b. abt. 1807 in NY, son of Joseph Potter and Polly Crego. This Joseph Potter was b. abt. 1781 in Scituate, RI, and Polly was b. abt. 1783 in Hoosick, Rensselaer, NY. However, I've not been able to verify that their son Isaac is the right one.

Can anyone help with Isaac's parentage or his wife Mary Ann's maiden name? If not, I hope the notes above were useful to any other descendants out there!